Blacks and Ethnic Groups: The Difference, and the Political Difference It Makes

Abstract

The contrast between white ethnic groups and blacks in the United States is of great political and scientific importance. It is asserted that the case for similarity will encourage indifference to public policy measures to raise the position of blacks; while the case for difference will lead to support for radical or revolutionary measures. But the political consequences of scholarly positions are difficult to predict, though scholars must keep them in mind. Blauner has argued for understanding black development in terms of internal colonialism, while white ethnic group development is to be interpreted in completely different terms. However, in the Northern cities differences between black and white ethnic group development is not as sharp as he believes, when we examine residential segregation, economic development, and political development. In the South the internal colonialism model fits the evidence better. In the North, blacks have a choice as to whether they interpret their experience by the internal colonialism or the white ethnic group model. The choice will have political consequences.